


Rocket Raccoon is not a pet

by Grocketeer



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-09
Updated: 2014-09-09
Packaged: 2018-02-16 17:07:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2277852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grocketeer/pseuds/Grocketeer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter finds out that Rocket likes to be pet, but hates feeling like a pet. Peter decides to pet him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rocket Raccoon is not a pet

"You flarkin idiot!" 

Rocket picked himself off the ground and started to charge back at the bouncer, but he felt a hand on his chest. He saw it was connected to Peter's arm.

"Come on man, this place is stupid anyway, let's just go back to the ship," Peter kept his voice light, but he knew he couldn't take on the big man staring at them from the bar's doorway. 

Rocket sent a final growl at the man, but he turned around and started stumbling back to the ship. Peter would have offered to carry him, but he was stumbling just as much.

They were both pretty drunk. Peter couldn't get his mind off of why they had been kicked out of the bar. It's not like it was unusual for the owners to get a little upset when someone started pointing guns at customers, but what caused it didn't make sense to Peter.

They'd been drinking pleasantly, talking about ships, when a young woman came up to Rocket and started talking to him with a voice most people reserved for babies and puppies.

He'd turned to her and told her to "fuck off before I bite your hand off," but she must have been on something, because she kept on going. Then she made her biggest mistake. She reached out a hand and started scratching Rocket between his ears.

Rocket immediately jumped up and bit her, then proceeded to shove his gun in her face. That was when security had stepped in. Rocket had been quite literally thrown out.

It had happened before. People tried to touch Rocket and it never ended well. Peter was just glad no one had actually been shot. Yet.

But something still bothered Peter, and his drunkenness gave his thoughts sound.

"Why do ya care so much bout people touching you and stuff? Don't you like the feeling?"

Rocket shifted uncomfortably. "Why would I like it?"

"I figure it's the same as, I don't know, a back rub or a neck rub for humans. I'd sure like it."

"Well it's not. It doesn't feel good," Rocket lied. He did actually like the feel of it when someone pet him. It wasn't like a back rub, but it still felt nice.

"Why not?" 

Rocket sighed and said, "it just doesn't okay? It makes me feel like some sort of animal. I'm not a goddamn pet Quill and I don't want to be treated like one."

"You let Groot pet you." Peter said accusingly. He was surprised he was brave enough to keep talking.

Rocket looked at Peter threateningly. "Fine. It does feel good. You happy? But it still makes me feel like an animal, and I don't like that. It's different with Groot. He knows I'm a person and he treats me like one. Now can we please talk about something else?" Rocket asked, flustered.

"Fine fine, whatever," Peter said, but as he directed the conversation back to ships, he thought about what Rocket said. 

They got back to the Milano and went down to the meeting room. The others had already gone to sleep. They talked about random things late into the night, and soon they were tired. Peter was sitting in a chair, nurturing the last sips of a beer, while Rocket was curled up on the table, with his eyes closed.

Peter looked at Rocket thoughtfully. He slowly reached out his hand. He thought Rocket was asleep. 

Suddenly Rocket jumped up and nipped Peter's fingers. He didn't bite hard enough to hurt really, but he still felt satisfaction from the startled yelp from Peter. Then the anger was there again.

"I'm not a fucking animal Quill, and I'm sure as hell not your pet." He said with steel in his voice.

"I know- jeez you didn't have to bite me- I just thought you would like the feeling."

Rocket just closed his eyes and growled. Peter made a daring decision and, moving as stealthily and quickly as he could, reached his hand over again. 

Rocket froze as he felt the hand on his neck. One eye opened almost lazily, but as Peter looked into it, he saw fire burning inside.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"You said it felt good." He kept moving his hand down Rocket's back.

"What are you talking about?" Rocket asked, but made no move to stop Peter's hand. He couldn't decide what Peter was thinking, so he wasn't sure whether or not it would be fair to bite him.

"On the way back to the ship. You said it felt good when people pet you." Rocket looked about to protest so Peter quickly added, "And I know you're not an animal, I know you're not my pet, you're a person. But that doesn't mean that you can't enjoy things. People can touch other people Rocket. It doesn't have to mean more than that."

Rocket growled, but something in him kept him from saying anything. Something he couldn't let show. Or maybe it was just the distraction of focusing on not purring. He tried to never let anyone hear those noises, the ones from his time before the labs. The chirps and chippers and, worst of all of them, the purring. Not even Groot had heard the purring. Rocket tried hard not to let it show at all times. Though he did enjoy the feeling if Peter's hand running through his fur, straightening out the knotted and messed up parts. He started to push back up into Peter's hand, enjoying the feeling. He pretended not to notice the grin plastered on Peter's face.

He realized with a start he'd stopped focusing and had been purring for almost a minute. He stopped immediately, but then figured it was too late anyway and let the noises come out, a decision he definitely wouldn't have made were he not drunk .

Peter grinned wider at Rocket, who had closed his eyes in embarrassment. "I knew you would like it. That's why Groot pets you whenever you're stressed. I knew it!"

"Just shut up ya idiot." He kept resisting the instinct to bite Peter's hand.

"So are you only letting me do this cuz you're drunk, or does this mean I can do this later too?"

Rocket ignored the question, just telling Peter, "a little lower" as Peter scratched the top of his neck. The purrs became louder now as Peter scratched the base of Rocket's jaw. 

"I mean it Rocket, can this be a thing between us? "

"Why do you care so much anyway? It's not like it feels good for you."

"Nah, I know, it's just I wanna pet you is all." Peter mumbled, embarrased. Rocket wouldn't want to hear the actual reason. Too emotional for the cynical raccoon.

The actual reason was that Peter wanted to be closer to Rocket. He and Gamora had connected through dancing. He and Drax connected over fighting and kicking ass. Groot just automatically connected with pretty much everyone he met. But there was still an awkward distance between Peter and Rocket, that had only ever been breached by alcohol. 

Peter didn't want a friendship based purely on getting drunk together. He figured touching Rocket would be a start at least. But he didn't say any of that to Rocket and Rocket didn't ask further.

"That's kinda weird man, but to be honest, I don't care, because it feels good and I'm drunk. So keep going."

Peter hadn't realized his hand had stopped moving and restarted the motion. 

"Yeah...that feels nice..." Rocket mumbled as his eyes drooped. He hadn't been aware if how tired he was. 

Eventually his breathing slowed down and settled into a deep rhythm. Peter, as lightly as he could, picked him up and carried him to the room Rocket and Groot shared. Groot was there in his pot. He didn't really sleep, just went dormant as Peter understood it. He could come out of it any time he wished. And he did so as Peter entered the room. 

He looked up and was immediately surprised and confused at Peter carrying Rocket. Still, he waved cheerfully at Peter. Peter waved back but put a finger on his lips and said "shhhh"

Groot nodded and smiled, before going dormant again. He was glad Rocket had allowed someone else to touch him, even if he was tired and drunk.

"Quill? What are ya doing?" Rocket asked without opening his eyes. He was barely awake enough to talk. Peter set him down on his bed and Rocket instinctively curled up. 

"Don't worry man, I'm just getting ya to your bed." Peter smiled down at Rocket even though he couldn't see Peter.

"ok,yeah, that sounds nice. thanks" Rocket mumbled before falling asleep.

Peter's grin widened as he left the room. Before closing the door he poked his head through and whispered softly across the room.

"Goodnight Rocket."

"Goodnight Quill. I love you." And then he was asleep.

Peter froze in the doorway, wide-eyed. He decided he shouldn't wake Rocket up to ask him about it seeing as Rocket so clearly needed sleep, so he closed the door and headed back to his room. 

He sat on the bed and decided to confront Rocket tomorrow about it. He thought he would try to get some sleep himself. But as he laid down on his bed, he couldn't stop thinking about Rocket's words. How could he? Had Rocket meant to say it? Did he know who he was talking to? Would he remember it in the morning?

He thought about it until he couldn't stand it anymore. He had to know whether Rocket had meant it. It was still very early in the morning, but Peter thought Rocket had gotten a decent amount of sleep. He got up and went over to Rocket's room.

He hesitated at the door, his resolution wavering. He couldn't bring himself to knock so he just stayed there for a few minutes, shifting around. His fist was hovering a few inches away from the wood as he tried to work up the courage to knock. He hadn't moved when the door opened.

"Quill, ya think I can't hear ya stomping around out here like an elephant? I got better hearing than you, you know that right?"

Peter blushed and looked down. "No, I guess not. So uh, you know how long I've been here?"

"Yeah. Come on in. We should probably talk or something."

Peter came in and saw Groot waving from the nightstand. Rocket picked him up and out him just outside the door.

"We just need a little privacy for a bit ok?" Groot nodded. "Good, thanks buddy." Rocket shut the door, but didn't turn around. Peter sat on the bed.

"So..." Peter cleared his throat uncomfortably. "About last night..."

"Yeah I know, just let me work up to it." Rocket finally turned around and rubbed his eyes aggressively with his paws. He sighed.

"I meant to tell ya sometime. I know it's so stupid, and I tried to hide it, but I just was tired and drunk. Every time I saw ya I felt the urge to just blurt it out, but I made sure to shut myself up." He swallowed. "I get it if you want me to leave. Me and Groot have lived on our own for a long time, we can do it again. If you want, we'll be gone in a few hours."

"Rocket I don't-"

"No no let me finish. Please just let me finish."

Peter nodded, frowning. Rocket took a deep breath and continued.

"I guess I knew after Ronan. Just the way you treated me. It wasn't like an animal. You treat me like a person, like Groot does. And it just got worse. When we would go out drinking, you always had my back. You never let me drink alone. It was kinda unavoidable really. There was no way I would ever come outta that without... Without loving you Peter." He had been looking down, but now he looked up, hoping for any sign of emotion in Peter's face. Peter just looked at him questioningly, as if asking permission.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm done. You can talk now."

"Good. Now it's my turn. Rocket you're so wrong. I would never want you to leave."

"But I'm-"

"Hey don't interrupt me, I didn't interrupt you." He glared at Rocket pointedly. Rocket raised his paws submissively and Peter continued, "you're wrong about so much man. You think I'm gonna hate you because of this? You think I'd make you leave? No, I would never. At the worst, I'd just tell you I don't feel the same and nothing would change." 

Rocket visibly deflated. He felt like his heart had been crushed into millions if pieces then set on fire. He wiped at his eyes determined not to cry. Peter saw all this and hurriedly added, "But that would be lying cuz the truth is, even if I didn't realize it earlier, I think I love you too, Rocket. I didn't think drinking was a basis for friendship, but it was the time spent together that matters. And we've spent a lot of time together."

"You really love me?"

Peter didn't say anything. He just got off the bed, knelt down in front of Rocket and kissed him on the lips. Rocket pulled back, surprised, but then leaned into it. He felt a glimmer of hope inside him, that maybe this would all turn out all right. Usually he tried to squash those optimistic feelings immediately, but this time, he let it be.

"Rocket," Peter breathed out, and Rocket trembled at how his name passed through Peter's lips. "I've never loved anything in my life since Earth. I've had a lot of one night stands, an incredible amount of meaningless sex, but I've never loved anyone. But now, even though I've never felt it before, not really, I can say it with 100% certainty, I love you Rocket." He wiped away a tear from Rocket's eye. "I love you" he repeated.

Rocket sniffed and reached a paw up to try to stop the tears. "You okay now?" Peter asked, genuinely worried.

"Yeah yeah, I'm just not used to this whole emotions thing, ya know? Can't let feelings get in the way or I won't make it, that's how it's always been for me. Just not used to being so open."

"To be honest, me neither. But I think we'll get used to it. I plan on spending a lot of time together in the future." He lifted Rocket's chin and looked him in the eye, smiling comfortingly.

Rocket finally managed a smile of his own at Peter's words. He thought about a life with Peter. There were gonna be problems and issues, judgements and harsh times, but not right now. And as he thought about the future, he knew he wanted it. More than anything in the world, he wanted Peter no matter what the timeframe. He tried to say all this to Peter, but he couldn't get the words right in his head and all he could say was,

"Yeah. That sounds nice."

But Peter knew what he meant.


End file.
